How should we respond to scammers?

Okay, pretty obvious I have been receiving emails from a scammer. Just wondering what the best response is when they are asking for money, or private information or whatever they are asking for at the time... is there a good one-liner that will stop a scammer dead in his tracks? Is there some legal term to use to tell them that you are on to their fraudulent activities, and that the authorities are on their way? Or should a person keep them on the line, feeding the scammer info bits so he/she keeps on biting? Not sure what to do with them once you have them - mine is still sending me emails - at this stage of the game, he/she is getting angry at me for not wiring the money and they are telling me that they are paying all these fees out on my behalf while I delay. Quite entertaining, but would love for them to open an email from me (the person they are lying to and are trying to take my money) only to find a legal document that would lay out the law, and how they will be prosecuted if caught.

The best method is to stop contact, and not say another word as soon as you realize they are a scammer.

Leaving them without an answer does more harm to them than anything else would. Educating them by giving them any type of answer will only make them better scammers, and we don't need better scammers anywhere.

[AlanJones]

What you are trying to do is scambaiting, but as you seem to be using your real life email to do it, it is not safe.

As HillBilly says, you should drop contact with them now - don't tell them you know it is a scam (they'll just deny it), just block them. Also sending them legal documents telling them what will happen to them won't worry them in the slightest as they know the chance of getting caught is tiny.

If you want to learn how to waste scammer's time safely then I would recommend visiting our sister site 419eater.com.

Great tips, thanks! But is there a one-liner that we could reply to them with that will shut them down? As in, a quote exposing their illegal activity, and what is going to happen to them when they get caught? Not like these criminals have compassion, but if they believe that they will be caught, perhaps they will stop stealing from others. Are there no laws against fraudulent activity in Cameroon? Still amazed at how brazen these cons are.

^^^^^There is nothing you can say to them to make them stop. Our laws do not apply to them. They are not using any real details. If by chance they were caught they would simply bribe law enforcement in their Country.

Even if you respond, even with a one liner, they have your attention.

It won't stop them. They will take no notice of it. I once had a very long email and answered 'No', the next email was thanking me for helping and how grateful for God etc... I replied 'No'. Next one was telling me what I had to to do to help. They only time they read a reply was when they asked for money. They don't read them, they look for a reply.

Drop all contact. They hate that more than anything.

I'm thinking of scamming the scammers from the comfort of my home.
If I come across as sounding naive+greedy+rich then they wont be able to resist.

For example, emailing them to arrange to meet somewhere - London, Tokyo, Paris etc and "I will bring currencies in mixed denominations of US dollars. Pick a place and a date".

Then "I missed you at the airport. Try again tomorrow." etc etc

Ah just found the 419 site which is more appropriate for my scambaiting. Sorry about that.

I scambait too Wilma but we never call it 'scamming' the scammer because we aren't doing it for our own personal profit or benefit. The members hate and detest scammers so they don't like anyone to suggest that baiting is any way similar to what scammers do.

I know what you mean, and I use similar techniques to those employed by scammers but my intention is to waste their time and resources chasing me rather than real victims.